Temporal Frequency

"Temporal Frequency" is a new Treasury showcase on Etsy.com and features several handmade and vintage items in a bold black and white theme that are available for purchase online. Included in the showcase is one of my black and white acrylic paintings on canvas with cut paper collage.

Check it out here

Roman Head

10 x 7 inches

2 Color Woodcut on Japanese Paper

I just finished printing my edition for the Print Zero Studios Print Exchange #7. “Roman Head” is printed in black and blue/grey from 2 blocks of pine. The edition size is 15 which will all be going to the print exchange, but I have a few artist proofs that I will be offering for sale soon in my Etsy shop.

Roman Head Woodblock

Here is the current wood block that I have been working on. It is carved and inked with black relief ink ready to be printed. The wood is a white pine. I like the slightly sculptural quality of the wood block.

I carved another block to render a background color and have produced a few color proofs. I'm not totally satisfied yet, but I'm making progress.

I intend to utilize this image for the Print Zero Studios Print Exchange that is coming up in July 2010. Artists will submit editions of 15 prints, then we shuffle them all up and each contributing artists receive 13 different prints from the other participating artists in return. Print Zero Studios retains 2 of the prints for their collection and usually organizes a traveling exhibit of the work.

Youth With Head Ribbon

This sketch of a Roman bronze is from a statue that dates back to the beginning of the first century A.D. The bronze is a copy of an earlier Greek original from the 5th century B.C.that was thought to be a funerary statue.

I am currently interested in studying statues from antiquity and creating a series of prints based on these drawings. It's a means of exploring some of the early examples of Western art and the idealized human form depicted in these artworks.

I'm fascinated by the way woodblock prints lend themselves to the depiction of flat shapes, which can be be manipulated to achieve the illusion of form and dimension. Printmaking is always a way for me to expand my repertoire of mark making and give a particular character to the subjects that I depict.

I have already started carving a block based on this image which will be the first woodblock print in the series, and may decide to do some drypoint prints as well. I will post an image of the woodblock soon.

Landscapes real and imagined

A new woodblock print, carved into poplar and then printed on Japanese paper. It is inspired by the landscape of the Pacific Northwest where I live. The size is roughly 6 x 10 inches. I have been playing with the idea of adding more layers and some color, but I like the simplicity and rustic quality of this image. It reflects the nature of the cabin and the landscape.

When I look at this image I wonder who lives in this cabin and whether it depicts a time long ago, or just a secluded nook somewhere today. I'm not sure if the tiny black strokes depict grass and plants that are growing or trees that were cut down in some industrious endeavor that has altered the landscape.

Sketches after Whistler

Here are a couple of sketches that I completed the other day. One is after "Portrait of the Painter's Mother" by James McNeill Whistler, and the other is after the "Portrait of Theodore Duret."

Whistler's painting of his mother is considered a masterpiece and extremely well known. I find the limited color palette of the original quite beautiful in its subtle hues. I'm fascinated with the way that the dark clothing of the mother, the base of the wall and the curtain all blend into one large block of form, becoming very flat despite the detailed nature of the painting. I have attempted to capture some of the subtle details of pattern observed in the curtains reminiscent of a motif featuring Japanese cherry blossoms. The framed picture on the wall is painted with little detail, but appears to be one of Whistler's earlier etchings.

Theodore Duret as I have learned was a traveller, collector of art, crooked art dealer and man about town, or boulevardier. His father was a wealthy businessman who owned a brandy business in Cognac.

Small Works in The Seattle P-I

by Adriana Grant, Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Collectively, 'Small Works' leaves a sizable impression

Visit Some Space gallery and you'll find a smattering of great art. All of it, this month, is small. In the second annual "Small Works" exhibit, which opened Thursday, no artwork exceeds 12 inches on a side.

A trippy, intricately patterned, magenta, tie-dyed canvas, "Masquerade" by Robert Hardgrave, is 1 square foot. Similar work (only much larger) was shown at Lawrimore Project early this year. Another 12-by-12-inch painting is covered...

see full article

Cloud Drawings @ Etsy

Cloud Drawing #4
Graphite and white china marker on paper
Image size 9.5 x 7.5 inches
Inventory # 08-J-04

For your convenience you may now browse some of my cloud drawings available for purchase in my online etsy.com shop. These drawings are matted with acid free archival white mats in standard size formats for easy framing. You may wish to bookmark my shop because I will be adding new works regularly as they become available. Check it out! www.noahoverby.etsy.com.

Sneak Peak (continued)

Stark
Acrylic and collage on canvas
10 x 8 inches
Inventory # 08-J-07

This painting makes a small, but bold statement. It is executed in black and white while the cloud in the center is cut paper from a drypoint print exhibiting a subtle, scribbly texture.

This piece will be part of the Small Works 2008 exhibit.

Sneak Peak (continued)

Trickle
Acrylic on canvas
10 x 8 inchesInventory # 08-J-08

This painting is elegant in its simplicity. The background is a subtle pale blue, while the cloud image is painted in an iridescent gold. The appearance of the gold paint changes depending on the angle of the light.

This will be part of the Small Works 2008 exhibit.

Sneak Peak

Goldilocks
Acrylic and collage on canvas
10 x 8 inches
inventory # 08-J-05

Here is a sneak preview of one of the paintings I will be exhibiting in The Small Works exhibit at Some Space Gallery.

This piece is mostly collage on canvas. The gold cloud image was cut with an x-acto from this beautiful reflective gold paper that I found. The droplet forms are cut paper from an old etching that I did back during my undergraduate days at The University of Washington. I guess being a pack rat has it's advantages. Once I had everything glued down to the canvas I sealed it with acrylic medium so it has a slightly glossy surface.

Small Works 2008

Here is a list of the participating artists for the Small Works 2008 exhibit at Some Space. This will be one not to be missed.

Opening: First Thursday November 5th, 2008 from 6:00-9:00pm
Show runs through Dec 27th, 2008
more info at SomeSpaceGallery.com

Small Works Exhibit @ Some Space Gallery

The Small Works exhibit, a group show featuring, as you may have guessed, small artworks will open in two weeks at Some Space Gallery. I'm suggesting you mark your calendar and show up at the opening for the First Thursday Art Walk on November 5th, 2008. If you are late and all the little jewels of artistic excellence are gone you won't have me to blame.

If you would like to receive an email about this event and other equally exciting future functions I recommend you subscribe to my newsletter by entering your email address in the signup box in the right hand column of my blog.

Cloud Drawing #3

Cloud Drawing #3
Graphite and white china marker on paper
Image size 9.5 x 7.5 inches
Inventory # 08-J-03

New Cloud Drawing

Cloud Drawing #2
Graphite and china marker on paper
Image size 9.5 x 7.5 inches
Inventory # 08-J-02

Here is another new cloud drawing. These are fun to do. I've been inspired by decorative Japanese painting and the simple repetitive patterns I find in those works. I like the playful mood in this piece and the ambiguity of the space.

Fall is here

Cloud Drawing #1
Graphite and china marker on paper
Image size 9.5 x 7.5 inches
Inventory # 08-J-01

I love fall. It's such a cozy time of year. It makes me want to be inside working in the studio. I love the muted colors of the landscape and drab, moist weather with splashes of colorful fall leaves.

University of Washington Print Sale

Printmaking Association
at the University of Washington
Current students and alumni of the Printmaking program
at The University of Washington School of Art
offer their original prints for sale.

Tues, Wed, Thur Feb 26, 27 & 28th
Hours: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Lobby of The Art Building
on The UW Campus

featuring original monoprints, lithographs, etchings and serigraphs,
woodcuts, collagraphs, drypoints and relief prints.

All proceeds go to the student artists and the Printmaking Association

accepting cash and checks only.

Contact: Larry Sommers
School of Art- University of Washington
(206) 543-0633

Fine Art Views by Clint Watson

In my last post I talked a bit about Alyson Stanfield and her business ArtBizCoach.com. I have found artbizcoach.com a helpful resource for information on promoting and marketing my work and for developing the written document that most artists dread writing more than any: The Artist Statement. I also refer to Ms. Stanfield's Visual Artist Kit for information on properly formating my resume, bio, slidelists and other similar documents.

Another very valuable resource I would like to mention is Mr. Clint Watson's Fine Art Views. Fine Art Views is a free electronic newsletter published almost every day that provides "Straight Talk about Art, Marketing, Inspiration, and Fine Living For Artists, Collectors and Galleries." I find Mr. Watson's newsletters to be often informing and sometimes downright revolutionary. They offer practical ideas that if you put into place will garner results, and in the process will raise your general marketing and promotion IQ. I would highly recommend any artist wishing to seriously market and promote their work to subscribe to the newsletter. It's worth much more than the price: FREE! Check it out at www.fineartviews.com.

Feature in Art Marketing Action Newsletter

Alyson Stanfield is a former museum curator as well as the founder and principal of ArtBizCoach.com. Alyson offers consultation services, books, and online classes for artists on how to promote their art and handle the business side of being an artist. Alsyon publishes a free weekly newsletter for artists and recently featured my painting titled "Gather" in her newsletter. The current issue is online at http://www.artbizcoach.com/articles/. Check it out!

Float, Flitter, Fade reviewed in The Seattle Weekly

Adriana Grant reviews "Float, Flitter, Fade: New Works by Noah Overby" in her aticle "Cloud Cover" featured in the Dec 12 Seattle Weekly. Read the full article here.

The Seattle P-I deems Float, Flitter, Fade a "Best Bet"

Gather

Acrylic and collage on canvas
36 x 48 inches
$900

Undertow

Acrylic and collage on canvas
24 x 24 inches
Sold

Daydream #3

Acrylic and collage on canvas
24 x 24 inches
$450

New Work at Some Space December 3 - 28, 2007

For Immediate Release

Contact: Noah Overby
(206) 963-9122 / noah(at)noahoverby.com / www.noahoverby.com
23410 18th Ave S G201 / Des Moines, WA 98198



Float, Flitter, Fade: New works by Noah Overby

Showing December 3 - 28, 2007
Some Space // 625 First Ave / Seattle, WA 98104 / (206) 718-3104
Reception - Thursday, December 6 from 6:00-9:00pm

Inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi Noah constructs poetic images from cloud forms, floral images and decorative patterns. These paintings use a simple, pared down visual vocabulary to explore themes of tranquility and impermanence. They are intended to convey a hushed-dream like mood that sparks memories or personal associations for the viewer.

Noah says of his work, “I want to create an image that functions like a haiku poem. With relatively simple means I want to evoke a tangible mood that sucks the viewer in. I’m creating a place somewhere between reality and a dream world, someplace to pause and gather one’s thoughts.”

About Noah Overby
Noah Overby is a painter and printmaker based in Seattle. Overby was born in Honolulu Hawaii and traveled extensively as a child. He lived in Japan when he was 8 years old, an experience that sparked an interest in Japanese culture and aesthetic values. Overby spent his teen years at the Pilchuck Glass School and went on to study studio art at the University of Washington including courses in printmaking, Asian art history and The Japanese Tea Ceremony. Noah is the recipient of a 2007 PONCHO Artist in Residency at Pratt Fine Arts Center and won a Vascovitz Scholarship in painting and drawing. His work hangs in The Seattle Public Utilities Portable Works Collection, The Alexis Hotel and other private collections in the United States, and abroad

About Some Space
Presented on the walls of Gallery Frames in Pioneer Square, Downtown Seattle, Some Space is a unique, artist-run gallery exhibiting monthly showcases of local artists. Long-time employees of the frame shop, Daniel Carrillo and Shaun Kardinal started this project to provide a space for talented artists who have not yet had the opportunity to show their work in the ever-growing art community of Pioneer Square. More info at http://www.somespacegallery.com.

Float (#07-K-15)

acrylic and collage on canvas
12 x 9 inches

Twilight (#07-K-14)

acrylic and collage on canvas
12 x 9 inches
Sold

Mingle (#07-K-13)

acrylic and collage on canvas
12 x 9 inches

Drift (#07-K-12)

acrylic and collage on canvas
18 x 14 inches
$250

Sway (#07-K-11)

acrylic and collage on canvas
18 x 14 inches
$390

Promulgate (#07-I-06)

acrylic and collage on canvas
12 x 9 inches

Giclee prints available now

Looking for affordable art? There's nothing that can compare to living with an original painting, drawing, etching,or woodblock print. Knowing that the artist labored in a time honored tradition to produce the object before us is an extraordinary feeling, especially when the image truly speaks to us. Sometimes, however, the piece we would love to live with is beyond our means. A giclee print can offer a more affordable solution.

Giclee printing technology is similar to inkjet, but uses high quality archival inks to accurately reproduce colors and images from original artwork. Learn more.

Current subscribers to my email newsletter are automatically entered to win one of my giclee prints in a monthly drawing. Subscribe here.

My current offering of giclee prints starts at $16.98 for an 8x10 inch print. My gallery on Imagekind.com offers print on demand technology that allows you to select an image, print size and paper stock. They can even print on canvas. The prints are available for purchase unframed, or you can choose a custom mat and frame to compliment your artwork.

View available images at http://noahoverby.imagekind.com

Punctuate (#07-K-10)

acrylic on canvas
12 x 9 inches
$150

Tickets Available for CoCA's 15th Annual Painting Marathon & Auction

The Center on Contemporary Art will host the 15th Annual Painting Marathon and auction starting at 9:00am on Thursday, Nov. 8th. Painters will begin their 24 hour painting session at that time and will work through the night without sleep. The resulting works will be auctioned off starting at 5:30pm on Friday, Nov. 9th.

The event will be held at The Shilshole Bay Beach Club,
6413 Seaview Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107

Tickets start at $20 and will be required for the auction. They are available online through Brown Paper Tickets.

The public is welcome to come and observe the artists prior to the auction for free!

To see the list of participating artists please visit CoCA's website.

One HOT Night @ Pratt Fine Art's Center

Save the Date for One Hot Night! Pratt’s Annual Open House

On Saturday, November 10th, Pratt Fine Arts Center opens its doors to the public for One Hot Night!, a free open house providing an exciting and welcoming environment for everyone to experience Pratt!

Watch as dozens of artists pour bronze, blow glass, pull prints, paint, carve stone, fabricate jewelry, and forge hot steel! Enjoy tours of the studios, activities for kids, and a chance to meet instructors, students, and staff. Bring some bucks for Rolling Fire wood-fired pizza and our no-host bar. Sponsored by KPLU.

Saturday, Nov. 10, 6-9pm
1902 South Main Street, Seattle
More info at www.pratt.org
Or call 206.328.2200


Free Admission – Free Parking – Everyone is welcome
Bring your friends and family!

Commissioned Artwork for the Newly Remodeled Alexis Hotel

Through the Window II
Ball Point Pen on Paper
30 x 50 inches
2007


Through the Window II (in progress)


Through the Window II (in progress)

Through the Window II (in progress)

The Alexis Hotel, a 121-room boutique, luxury hotel in downtown Seattle maintains strong ties to the local art community. Aside from featuring quarterly rotating exhibits in their lobby and Gallery Room, their guest rooms and public spaces incorporate original artwork by local artists.

The Alexis just finished a much anticipated remodel and commissioned me to create a 30 x 50 inch drawing for their art collection. The artwork is being framed and will be hung in the hotel shortly. I snapped a few photos as I worked to post on the blog. The image comes from a series of small drypoint prints that I made a few years back. I still have a couple of the original prints, which are 3.5 x 5.5 inches.

This is a big drawing, 30 x 50 inches. It was done on heavy Arches watercolor paper entirely in Bic Ballpoint Pen. When I was in Rome in 2001 I was working on ideas for some drypoint prints and created some beautiful little studies in the churches near my apartment. They were very intimate little drawings of the side chapels inside Santa Maria Sopra Minerva and a couple other churches. Because I intended to make drypoint prints of my drawing and did not have access to printmaking facilities over in Rome I tried to draw in such a way as to mimic a drypoint print. I choose to use black ball point pen on paper and the effect was great. I still have some of the finished drawings from this series hanging in my home.

The Rome drawings are much smaller (15 x 11 inches) than the recently completed commission. I did not realize how long the large drawing would take me to complete. Because of the big section of heavy shading in the drawing I literally sat for hours and hours building up the marks with my ball point pen. Let's just say I had a heck of a neck kink by the time all was said and done.

I even had three pens give up the ghost along the way.

Tashiro Kaplan Artist Lofts- Annual Auction & Open House

Note: I no longer have my studio in the Tashiro Kaplan building, so I will not be exhibiting here, but if I were you I'd come check out the Tashiro Kaplan Artist Lofts Annual Auction and Open House.

Why?

Because once a year and only once a year the upstairs residences are open to the public. These are the lofts where some seriously talented Seattle artists live and work, people who have won high accolades for their work like Gretchen Bennett, Alicia Berger, Jaq Chartier, Steven Miller and Brian Murphy, just to name a few.

Mark your calendars and check it out.

Saturday, October 20, 2007, 5-11PM, FREE

The TK Artist Lofts, home to over 50 artists, their families and 26 art venues, has become the heart of the Pioneer Square art scene. A once a year event, the artists will open their lofts to the public. Residents will feature jewelry, painting, drawing, photography, glass, fabric art, performing arts and music.

There will be a Silent Art Auction 5-8pm. Performances will begin at 8pm.

The Tashiro Kaplan Building is now widely known for its very successful Art Walk every First Thursday of each month, which mostly presents visual arts in gallery and studio settings. The importance of developing the community room to more fully support the performing arts is less known. There is need for rehearsal and performance throughout the city and for the residents of the TK. This means not just space but space with proper flooring so performers do not incur injuries.

The Vandenbrink Community Room (VCR) has been upgraded for performance with better lighting options and sound improvements but the cement floor is still a concern. Though other fundraising efforts have raised a portion of money required, the residents are hoping to raise the last $3000 needed to install a sprung floor.



115 Prefontaine Place South, Pioneer Square, Seattle.


For more information:
www.TKLofts.com
www.TashiroKaplan.com
206.223.1160

PONCHO Artist in Residency Presentation

The opening for the 2007 PONCHO Artist in Residency & Pathways Scholarship exhibit at Pratt Fine Arts Center's Gallery space in the Tashiro Kaplan Building was a huge success. Turn out was outstanding and the show looked great. There are prints and collage by Amy Lee Walton, Wood and metal sculpture by Julia Haack, Jennifer Nerad's beautiful little prints and intriguing mixed media works by Joan Swearingen, as well as my acrylic and collage pieces on canvas and kiln cast glass tiles. There was a great energy at the opening and four of my paintings were sold before the end of the night.

Last night Amy Lee, Jennifer, Joan, Julia and myself gave a presentation on our work and residency experience. It was really fascinating to see the progression of each artist's work and their thought process as they transitioned from working in a familiar medium to exploring a new one. Each artist had components of their work that were common between one medium and the next, but they brought in new relationships with the different materials. Needless to say the talks were a really fascinating look into each artist's work and generated a fuller understanding than simply walking into a gallery and looking at the work on the walls or pedestal. I also noticed that Jennifer's "Pieced Landscape #1" a gorgeous little softground etching with chine colle had found a new home by the end of the night.

A very special thank you to Pratt Fine Arts Center, and PONCHO for making this event and this experience possible.

The PONCHO Artist in Residency is a competitive $1500 award that is offered through Pratt Fine Arts Center's scholarship program. Applications are reviewed by an independent board of jurors on artistic merit and the ability of the artist to clearly communicate how they intend to use the award. Both emerging and established artists are encouraged to apply, and priority is given to applications that convey how the artist intends to use the award to pursue work in a new medium. Applications are due July 1 annually and are available on Pratt's scholarship page. Here

Also Michelle Bufano, Executive Director for Pratt Fine Arts Center hinted that Pratt will soon be announcing a new residency program that is far beyond anything they currently offer. She didn't give any details about the award, but said that Pratt will be making an announcement soon. Keep your ears open...

For those interested in seeing the exhibit it will continue through Sept 29th, 2007

Pratt Fine Arts Center Galley
306 South Washington ST, #102
Seattle, WA 98104

Gallery hours: Fridays and Saturdays noon - 5:00pm

Up and Running

Now that the studio space is conducive to working I'm continuing my series of cloud paintings. Here are my most recent images. They are now at the photographers so they can be documented properly. My little point and shoot digital camera just doesn't do them justice.

They are all 10 x 8 inches, acrylic and collage on canvas. I think they work nicely as a series. I like the four of them together.






I'd love to get feedback on these. What do you like best about them and what don't you like? What would you change?

The PROJECT

This is a picture of my new studio. At least it was... That was in its unfinished state back in February when my wife and I moved into our new home. I'm afraid a bloger I was not. I've been spending all my free time renovating my studio so that it'll be a nice place to spend my time painting, printing and drawing.

The next photo is the same view, but this is what the studio looks like now; after the insulating, and sheetrocking and muding and taping and sanding and more sanding and then the priming and painting. It's been a PROJECT, but I'm done! Plus I'm proud that I did almost all the work myself. I had a little help here and there from my stepfather, and I have to mention that my wife did help me unload several large sheets of sheetrock, though begrudgingly at first.



I'd say a few more before and after shots are in order.

The left side before:



and after:



Here is the other side before:



and after:



Here's a shot of the front of the studio:



Let me know what you guys think. I'd love to hear about those remodel victories and or course disasters, too. It always seems like it's never going to end, but then there is that little glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Devesting "Project #2"

This is an image of my second kiln casting project right after it came out of the kiln. If you haven't checked out the posting immediately prior to this one, I suggest doing so, as things will make a lot more sense. "Devesting" is the process of breaking apart the mold to reveal the sculpture underneath. They do the same thing with bronze casting. It's the most exciting part because as each piece of the mold crumbles away it reveals the nearly finished sculpture below. It's like opening presents on Christmas morning.


Here I've begun to saw into the crumbly mold material with a butter knife and then remove chuncks as they become loosened.

The mold-material is a mixture of plaster and silica. This was a hand built mold, which was applied in layers. The "face coat" is the coat that touches the artwork and is very fine. As we applied subsequent layers we added sand and grog(pulverized bits of fired clay) to add strength to the mold. The mold tends to break off in layers because it was built in layers.


Removing more of the mold, piece by piece. You don't want to get too crazy at this stage, or you might scratch or break the glass underneath.


Here a large chunck of the mold has flaked off to reveal the front of the sculpture.


This is what the piece looks like after it has been devested.

During the mold-making process the mold often gets fine cracks as the plaster-silica dries. Once loaded into the kiln, the glass will fill those cracks as it fills the rest of the mold. This results in "flashing." You can see the unwanted ribbons of glass around the edge of the piece. These will have to be cut off or ground down as part of the finishing process.

Scrubbing with a soft brush and water will remove the rest of the white, powdery mold residue.